--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know when I've written a good song when…" description: "\"I know when I've written a good song when I can imagine the video. If I can't imagine the video straight away, I'm not gonna put it on my album.\" — Cha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/charli-xcx-1863_good_i-know-when-i-ve-written-a-good-song-whe_2200510.jpg" --- # I know when I've written a good song when I can imagine… ![“I know when I've written a good song when I can imagine the video. If I can't imagine the video straight away, I'm not gonna put it on my album.” quote by Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/charli-xcx-1863_good_i-know-when-i-ve-written-a-good-song-whe_2200510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/charli-xcx-1863_good_i-know-when-i-ve-written-a-good-song-whe_2200510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/charli-xcx-1863_good_i-know-when-i-ve-written-a-good-song-whe_2200510.jpg) > “I know when I've written a good song when I can imagine the video. If I can't imagine the video straight away, I'm not gonna put it on my album.” [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A song’s quality is judged by its vivid visual imagery; if it can’t be pictured, it’s not album‑worthy. **In simple terms:** Good songs create clear mental pictures. Key Takeaway Ensure your music evokes strong visuals. Themes creativity music visualization Mood analytical inspirational Type practical philosophical When to use this quote - album selection - music production - creative brainstorming Key Concepts artistic vision songwriting standards audience perception Questions to Reflect On - Can a song succeed without a clear video? - How do you test visual impact? A Different Perspective Visual imagination may be subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-son/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [You know the John Lennon song 'Imagine'? 'Imagine no possessions, no religion'? That's what it was like in Cambodia. The only thing people had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophal-ear/you-know-the-john-lennon-song-imagine-imagine-no-possessions-no/) Sophal Ear > [My mom's favorite song ever is 'Imagine' because it came out around when she arrived in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himesh-patel/my-mom-s-favorite-song-ever-is-imagine-because-it-came-out-around/) [Himesh Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himesh-patel/) > [Whenever I'm writing a song, if I have an idea for the music video, that's how I know it's a good song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/whenever-i-m-writing-a-song-if-i-have-an-idea-for-the-music-video/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [A good song can make you smile, or it can make you dance or laugh or remind you of a moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/a-good-song-can-make-you-smile-or-it-can-make-you-dance-or-laugh-or/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [I just try to get inside the song and imagine what comes next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/i-just-try-to-get-inside-the-song-and-imagine-what-comes-next/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [A good song reminds us what we're fighting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/a-good-song-reminds-us-what-we-re-fighting-for/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [What's really cool about 'This is Me' is that our friends loved the song. Older punk rock fans don't know 'The Greatest Showman,' haven't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-gilbert/what-s-really-cool-about-this-is-me-is-that-our-friends-loved-the/) [Chad Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-gilbert/) > [A good song has to have a great melody, and the lyrics have to touch my heart. Now, if it's just a little toe-tapper,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/a-good-song-has-to-have-a-great-melody-and-the-lyrics-have-to-touch/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [I may be preaching to the choir, but the choir needs a good song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-may-be-preaching-to-the-choir-but-the-choir-needs-a-good-song/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [You can tell if something feels special. But there are so many moving parts involved in making the song a hit. The radio has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tranter/you-can-tell-if-something-feels-special-but-there-are-so-many-moving/) [Justin Tranter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tranter/) > [My favorite over the years is probably 'All I Have to Give.' That's probably my favorite. It's one of the first songs that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-dorough/my-favorite-over-the-years-is-probably-all-i-have-to-give-that-s/) [Howie Dorough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-dorough/) > [Sometimes when I get home after a long day, I'll turn on music - I love Latin, disco, and pop - and do my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-glau/sometimes-when-i-get-home-after-a-long-day-i-ll-turn-on-music-i-love/) [Summer Glau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-glau/) > [There is always a market for a good song and a good melody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carpenter/there-is-always-a-market-for-a-good-song-and-a-good-melody/) [Richard Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carpenter/) > [I hope at some point in my career when my name is mentioned, someone will say "Oh yeah he has a good song!" I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcknight/i-hope-at-some-point-in-my-career-when-my-name-is-mentioned-someone/) [Brian McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcknight/) > [ I would say a great song \[is where\] you like everything in the song. The lyrics move you, the beat makes you want to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aino-jawo/i-would-say-a-great-song-is-where-you-like-everything-in-the-song-the/) [Aino Jawo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aino-jawo/) ## More by Charli XCX > [The first show I did with Coldplay was really scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/the-first-show-i-did-with-coldplay-was-really-scary/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [Females should stand by each other, especially in an industry which seems to try so hard to pin us up against each other and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/females-should-stand-by-each-other-especially-in-an-industry-which/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [I always think about fashion when it comes to making music and music videos... what the colours will look like, what the material will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/i-always-think-about-fashion-when-it-comes-to-making-music-and-music/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [Pop music is getting so emo. It's great. Emotional girl for life. I see myself in the centre of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/pop-music-is-getting-so-emo-it-s-great-emotional-girl-for-life-i-see/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [I wrote a song for Icona Pop which boosted my confidence quite a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/i-wrote-a-song-for-icona-pop-which-boosted-my-confidence-quite-a-lot/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [I just want people to feel the emotion that's in the record. For me it's very raw and beautiful, I guess it's kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/i-just-want-people-to-feel-the-emotion-that-s-in-the-record-for-me-it/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [When I got signed, I had just turned 16. I felt like I had to continuously have these confrontations with older men who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/when-i-got-signed-i-had-just-turned-16-i-felt-like-i-had-to/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [From the moment I stepped into this industry, I've always had to fight for my ideas and for my voice to be heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/from-the-moment-i-stepped-into-this-industry-i-ve-always-had-to-fight/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [To be honest, for me, my main workout is when I'm on stage. Even though I make pop music, I don't think I perform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/to-be-honest-for-me-my-main-workout-is-when-i-m-on-stage-even-though/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [I don't want to be a pop star. I want to be a nursery-rhyme star!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-pop-star-i-want-to-be-a-nursery-rhyme-star/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [I've wanted to write good pop music, beautiful pop music - not just throwaways. I've always wanted to make it sound luscious and beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/i-ve-wanted-to-write-good-pop-music-beautiful-pop-music-not-just/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [I had this dream to be a rapper when I was younger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/i-had-this-dream-to-be-a-rapper-when-i-was-younger/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [I started writing my own things when I was about 8. I used to try to bully my friends into imitating the Spice Girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/i-started-writing-my-own-things-when-i-was-about-8-i-used-to-try-to/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [I've always played it my way. I failed media training, for example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/i-ve-always-played-it-my-way-i-failed-media-training-for-example/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [My one thing is respect. I don't care about anything else. You should respect everyone around you - the people who work for you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/my-one-thing-is-respect-i-don-t-care-about-anything-else-you-should/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) [Explore all 203 Charli XCX quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) ## More Good quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. 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It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Eric Clapton's scales - when he comes off a high note and it's time for a refrain or a little bit of a rest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/eric-clapton-s-scales-when-he-comes-off-a-high-note-and-it-s-time-for/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I studied all kinds of dance, all types of music. I got good grades. I started hitting the recording studio around 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-derulo/i-studied-all-kinds-of-dance-all-types-of-music-i-got-good-grades-i/) [Jason Derulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-derulo/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. 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